The Best Frosting

Today I awoke to find an email from Joseph requesting I make this frosting at The Tasty Kitchen. Don’t ask me why he was reading The Pioneer Woman’s blog (one of my favorites!) first thing in the morning.

I couldn’t deny such a request and was curious for myself: what makes this frosting so superior? And, hello–has anyone noticed all the flour this recipe calls for?!

As I learned from the wonderful people at BakeBakeBake, this recipe has been around for quite a while! Many girls commented that they got the recipe from their grandmothers, and one even told me it originated during the depression and can be called “Poor Man’s Frosting” (which Google confirms).

Straight out of the bowl I wasn’t very impressed. Honestly, I immediately emailed Joseph whining that Ree had deceived me! It was much more buttery than I’d anticipated, and I couldn’t find anything to put it above any other icings.

But I decided to top my lonesome chocolate cupcakes anyway. As the frosting is too creamy to pipe, I spread it on with a knife.

And then cheered it up with nonpareils. I planned on waiting until Joseph got home from work to try, but that didn’t happen!

I was completely surprised when I bit into this cupcake–never have two flavors meshed together so well! The frosting complimented the chocolate absolutely perfectly. I used my simple One Bowl Chocolate recipe, and this frosting really brought it up a level. This is what chocolate cake has been searching for for years.

I’m terribly sorry, frosting, for not having faith in you. I promise it won’t happen again.

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens (Note: it will be very, very thick!). Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If in a hurry, place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Do yourself a favor and make this! It is one of the easiest frostings I’ve come across, and it can do wonders when topped with a simple (even a boxed mix) chocolate cake. You’ll thank me for it, I swear.

Alter the foundation however you’d like–I’m planning on trying it with coconut flakes soon! I also am not big on butter so added some powdered sugar while beating, until it tasted the way I wanted.

Edit, April 1010: Since I posted this, I also tried it with powdered sugar. And boy, it was GOOD!

Hello. This sounds exciting but i wonder if you ever tried using caster instead of granulated? I might try this but with caster first :) never really fancied granulated butter-cream ^^ i’ll keep you guys posted!

I’m going to try this with vanilla cupcakes tomorrow – do you think it will work with vanilla cupcakes?
also, what chocolate cupcakes recipe do you use? i used the hummingbird recipe and it burnt a little at the edges.

Aww I’m sorry. I think you should try again! It’s very, very simple, but you have to be sure to thicken the milk a lot at the stove, as that provides much of the consistency. The Pioneer Woman posted step-by-step photos that might help.

Maybe I didn’t leave the milk mixture to cool for long enough. I doubled the mixture too which might have been risky. I will try again when I have more time! I love the easter cupcakes you made with this!

I seemed to have the same result :( The taste was good, not too sweet like other frostings but the consistency is soupy. I made sure to thicken it to a roue, like where it was almost solid and once I added the vanilla it just all fell apart. This was my first sttempt at making a homemade frosting so the error was probably my own.

This tasted nice. But the best icing I’ve ever had was browned butter icing. So delicious…cupcakes, cookies, pumpkin break, cinnamon raisin toast, pretzels, granola, etc. I have never tasted something so wonderful and versatile. You should give it a go

You know what, I’ve had varying results with this frosting too. Half the time I LOVE it, and half the time I think it’s awful. I’m not sure what marks the fine line between the two. I haven’t made it in a while because of that.

The frosting I made used 1 cup of granulated sugar & 1 cup powder sugar at the end. Made it with half real butter and half crisco. You still get a little oily taste, but still much better than any supermarket bakery frosting.
Can not use the soft spreadable, it has water and other stuff to make it spreadable. And ingredients I can not pronounce. Stick with the real butter, the sticks not the whipped. Butter also melts in your mouth with out leaving a coating, like a good chocolate. I think this a great frosting, light buttery.

I've been looking for this recipe for over 20 years my mother-in-law used to make it and I forgot to get the recipe from her before she passed on. This is the exact recipe that you used and I am thrilled, and my grown-up kids are thrilled and I found it.